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I just went thru this article and I dont understand how renegotiating the no-other-airport clause is going to make travel to the new airport better.

I have been watching the anand nagar underpass and the BDA flyover work progress for the past month and it has come to a standstill. I saw some activity only today after more than a month. We need to sue inaction by authorities who build the approach to the airport not renegotiate some clause to make access better. Definitely wrong tree.

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The only bottom line solution is to gear up BIAL to meet all expectations... I guess Mr Patel is meeting stakeholders again on 29th to decide the fate of Bangalore Airport... hope he is reading this blog too....

Maybe some one who knows Mr Patels Email ID can forward this blog for him to read.

 

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Dear All

I am going to try and post one reply that addresses the many posts raised.

BIAL is definitely a superior airport to HAL there is no doubt about it. But by no measure is it a "world class" airport.

I am most definitely not against BIAL. I welcome BIAL. However, given the initial capacity constraints at BIAL, and keeping in mind the ridiculously high rate of growth at Bangalore, I am for keeping HAL airport open in addition to BIAL.

Airports in the 20th and 21st century are what railway stations were in the 19th and early 20th century. Major hubs and economic drivers. For too long I have seen Bangalore, its residents and its commerce, suffer due to the lack of capacity at the airport. Now is the time to address the problem. For first time, we have the opportunity to be ahead of the demand curve instead of always playing catch-up.

For those people who say that this is a 11th hour approach, I beg to differ. Industry Chambers have been monitoring the aviation scenario in Bangalore since 2004, before BIAL construction even began.

All along we have persuaded AAI and HAL to invest in HAL airport, despite expecting HAL airport to close. While at the same time, highlighting capacity constraints to MoCA, and pushing them to force BIAL to expand. BIAL did not expand of its own volition.

Just for information, out of the Rs. 2500 Cr investment by BIAL consortium, only about 400 Cr was additional investment to increase capacity, since it was just adding another terminal module. The main investment is in runways and other facilities,

It was only in early 2007, we have observed that actual air traffic will outstrip the capacity of the single runway at BIAL, and this caused us to start discussions and brought this topic to the forefront. Of course the complete lack of progress on the connectivity front just added fuel to the whole fire of urgency.

I am happy to publically admit that all predictions I made about air traffic in Bangalore, since 2004, have been exceeded by actual performance. It is a reflection of suppressed demand and the economic growth of our city. The economic boom all over India has created unanticipated demand, which was just not planned for. Instead of taking a cooperative approach to address the problem, we find BIAL wanting the whole pie, even if cannot cater to it.

Public action was initiated only after more than 6 months of effort at rapproachment. Just Google my name Devesh Agarwal along with the word BIAL and airport, and see how far back, I have raised concerns on airport capacity.

I am not concerned about the terminal, since it people are far more flexible, and I know BIAL can add terminal capacity relatively quickly, if it truly desires.

I have done comparisons with other international airports, including a small airport on the island of Penang. This 5 million passenger airport is not big, but I am willing to bet everyone on Praja, that their computer has at least one IC chip in their computer made in the Bayan Lepas area just adjacent to their airport. Check this story. It explains how Bangalore has been duped of its freedoms in the interest of BIAL. Of course the dupers included our Government. http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com/2008/04/perils-of-pioneering-bangalores-loss-of.html

There are some stories on my blog, I urge all interested Praja visitors to visit and read. I will welcome your comments on my blog. Of course feel free to Digg, Newsvine, Technorati it.

http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com/2008/03/debunking-mr-brunners-debunks.html

http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com/2008/03/bial-needs-to-soften-their-stand-no.html

http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com/2008/03/real-capacity-of-bengaluru.html

There are other stories as well. Please take the time to read all of them. Feel free to comment on the stories on my blog. As long as there is no offensive language, I will post it. I do not practise censorship.

I have discussed possible scenarios about how to divide up the pie between BIAL and HAL. The market driven approach is the most fair. The only reason for this approach is to compensate BIAL as a peace offering. Yes, it will make air travel even ex-HAL more expensive, but I do believe it will be less than the Rs. 1500+ additional a passenger will spend for the transport and UDF ex-BIAL.

It is Hobson's Choice. Do we see continued stagnation of air traffic, or go with the shared approach and bring slightly excess capacity to whole of Bangalore, along with a choice.

If BIAL wants to be generous and give up a share of traffic without cost, everyone will be more than happy.

I also believe that AAI Bangalore needs to be given a free hand in upgrading and running the terminal at HAL, or else, get out, and give the operations to some one else, even BIAL.

After travelling from Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad, I do not find HAL terminal any worse, with the possible exeption of overcrowding. However, these are issues, also not caused by either HAL and AAI, but by CISF and Customs, by lack of people and XRay machines at security. Yes, Customs is to provide the XRay machine at international incoming baggage.

These are issues that will plague BIAL as well. Terminal beauty is only skin deep.

As a closure, I invite all Praja visitors to read my story http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com/2008/04/bial-contract-re-negotiation-time-for.html. I am concerned to the point of conviction that the "re-negotiation" as per the direction of the Honourable Court, scheduled for next week, will not be sincere.

There are links in my story to certain Parliamentarians. Praja visitors have the chance to act. Let us put our actions where our keyboard fingers are. 

-----------------------

Regards

Devesh R. Agarwal

Visit my aviation blog at http://deveshagarwal.blogspot.com

 

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LCC passengers close to 3 million in BLR, I guess. Official capacity of HAL airport seems close to 4 million but everybody knows it is handling now more than 10 million pax. Devesh or somebody can correct me if Iam wrong.

So how do you say that HAL capacity getting limited with LCCs?

Rakesh.

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From 'The Hindu':

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/17/stories/2008041750020100.htm

 

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